Removable storage module mounting system for golf cart

ABSTRACT

A storage unit intended for mounting on the rear of a golf cart type vehicle is designed to protrude from the rear of the golf cart to provide more storage space. The storage unit is further designed to be removable, and may be subdivided with movable partitions. Several features are described for its attachment onto the rear of the golf cart in different ways, including specific types of attachments and frameworks for use with and without rear shelf wells on the golf cart. These are designed for greater security in holding the storage unit onto the golf cart, and include adjustable or removable bottom protrusions for use with a rear shelf well, or the attachment frame system without a rear shelf well. In addition, a system is described to allow the storage unit to be folded, such that it can be more compactly folded and shipped, stored or transported.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation in Part of Utility application Ser.14/167,922, filed Jan. 29, 2014, which takes its priority fromProvisional Application 61/760,016, filed Feb. 1, 2013, both of whichare incorporated by reference. This application also takes priority fromProvisional Application 62/394,729, filed Sep. 14, 2016, which isincorporated by reference. As per the requirements of 1.78(6), theinventors hereby state that this nonprovisional application which isbeing filed on or after Mar. 16, 2013, claims the benefit of the filingdate of a provisional application filed prior to Mar. 16, 2013(Provisional Application 61/760,016), and also contains a claim to aclaimed invention that has an effective filing date as defined in §1.109that is after Mar. 16, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Golf carts, as envisioned for purposes of this invention, describe smallvehicles which are generally permitted on golf courses, even if they arenot used exclusively or at all on such. Most are electric, though somemay be powered by fossil fuels including, but not limited to, propane,hydrogen or gasoline. These vehicles are also usually open on the sidesand rear, though some may have flexible roll-down sides for protectionfrom weather, and they may be modified after-market to add doors andother weather protection. By default, they tend to hold two passengersin the front and two golf bags on a rear shelf in the back. Some areavailable now with two forward facing seats, and two backwards facingseats, eliminating the rear golf bag ledge but holding 4 passengers, orwith other configurations to hold 4 passengers.

While originally intended for use purely to transport golfers and theirclubs around a golf course, golf carts have come into more widespreaduse as transports in a variety of situations. Some communities have beendesigned to avoid use of cars, and to permit transport on foot and viapathways accommodating golf carts. In other cases, individuals may wishto use a golf cart as a supplement or as a complete replacement for anautomobile, for reasons including, but not limited to, loss of adriver's license, temporary or permanent incapacity, or desire to usepurely electric transportation for ecological or self sufficiencyreasons. In some communities, golf carts are permitted to drive onspecific public roads. When a golf cart is used in these ways, as aprimary vehicle for an individual or a family, a need exists for morestorage capacity, storage security and flexibility than a golf cartnormally provides.

Storage on a normal golf cart includes only a small wire basket or two,intended for holding small items like a hat or sunglasses, one or twoglove boxes which are not normally lockable, and a shelf or well in theback for holding two sets of golf clubs. Since a golf cart is normallyused only for golfing in good weather, storage areas are not protectedfrom inclement weather such as rain or temperature extremes. Since it isalso normally attended by the golfers for the full time it is on thecourse, the storage provides little or no security for items beingtransported. Finally, there is little flexibility in storage, as itsprimary storage area is configured to hold nothing more or less than twobags of golf clubs.

REFERENCES

U.S. Patent Applications 61/760,016 (Provisional) and Ser. No.14/167,922 (Utility), Frank Bonenberger, Removable Storage Module forGolf Cart.

-   U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,020, Steve Ferguson, Storage Device for Golf    Carts-   U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,070, Robert K. Banker, Golf Equipment Storage    Device-   U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,192 B2, Charles R. Eschenfelder, Storage Cabinet    for Use in a Golf Cart-   U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,695 A, Allen L. Giblet-   U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,718 A, Ormond et. al.-   U.S. Application #2010/0065593 A1, Campbell et. al.-   U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,317 B1, Michael O'Donnell-   U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,895 B2, Jones et. al.-   U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,356 A, Ronald C. Delong-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,093,872 B2, Stanfield et. al.-   U.S. Pat. No. D463,999 S, Beck et. al.-   U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,941 B1, Gary Cross-   U.S. Application #2003/0015562 A1, Cassy C. Jones-   U.S. Application #2008/0217194 A1, Fred Lewter-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,418,311 B1, Paul J. Lagassey-   U.S. Application #2005/0194414 A1, Richard Quentin Lynch-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,295 B1, John Hume

SUMMARY DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The invention described herein relates generally to a golf cart mountedstorage unit, and solves these and other problems as described below.Features of this invention should include the ability to protect itemsbeing transported from rain, theft and temperature extremes. It shouldallow some reconfiguration to accommodate different sizes, shapes andtypes of items. In addition, it would be desirable to have this storageunit be removable from the golf cart, so that the cart could be used forits original purpose of transporting golf clubs, and ideally the unitshould be collapsible so that it would require less storage space whennot in use on the cart. This would also allow for easier and cheapershipping of the unit. This invention provides these advantages.

In one embodiment, the invention described herein relates generally to astorage unit which can be attached in place of the golf bags, sitting inthe “well” or depression in the ledge on the back of the golf cart whichnormally holds the bottoms of the golf bags in place. It would occupythe majority of the space above said well, and is thus intended for useon a golf cart when the golf cart is being used for more generalpurposes than golfing, as it would occupy the space normally reservedfor golf clubs. In a preferred embodiment, this storage unit will beremovably attached to the back of the golf cart. In another preferredembodiment, this storage unit will extend beyond the rear of the golfcart to provide a larger storage volume than would be possible if itmerely occupied the space above said well. This well would have a bottomsurface, on which the bottoms of golf bags would normally rest, and fourwalls, a front wall, two side walls and a rear wall.

In another embodiment of this invention, there is a protrusion downwardsfrom the bottom of the storage unit into a “well”, or depression, whichis normally present in the back well of a golf cart to hold the bottomsof the golf bags in place. This protrusion would be adjustable orinterchangeable with other variant protrusion configurations in order toadapt to the wells on different models of golf carts.

In another embodiment of this invention, there is no rear platform withwell on the golf cart, but rather a pair of rear facing seats or benchseat to provide seating for four (with the two normal front facing seatsin the front of the cart). To the rear of this seat or seats is aplatform without a well, for the rear passengers to place their feet on.The storage unit would be attached immediately behind this platform. Insome embodiments of this invention, the bottom of the storage unit mayrest partly on the platform. In some embodiments of this invention, aframe, which may be affixed or removable, is attached to the back of thegolf cart and the storage unit is attached to the frame.

Another embodiment of this invention has this storage unit built out oflightweight materials, so that it can be easily removed from the golfcart if it is desirable to use said cart for golfing. This is alsodesirable for shipping or otherwise transporting said storage unit,whether before or after it is assembled. In a preferred embodiment, thisstorage unit will be removably attached to the back of the golf cart.

Another embodiment of this invention has the storage unit built in sucha way that it can be folded for removal, shipping or storage. This mayinclude any combination of rigid sections and flexible sections eitheror both of which can be manipulated in ways including, but not limitedto, folding, telescoping and bending. In a preferred embodiment, therewould be hinges at each vertical corner of the storage unit to enableits folding. In a preferred embodiment, this storage unit will beremovably attached to the back of the golf cart.

Another embodiment of this invention has provisions for internal storageof items. These provisions may include, but are not limited to, shelves,hooks, straps, internal dividers, and brackets, which may be removableand/or movable to different locations. External attachments for itemsmay also be present, such as, but not limited to, hooks, straps, elasticbands, and brackets. In a preferred embodiment, this storage unit willbe removably attached to the back of the golf cart.

Another embodiment of this invention may include climate control of partor all of the interior. This may be helpful for keeping hot items, suchas hot food being picked up or delivered, hot, or may be helpful forkeeping cold items, such as perishable groceries, cold. Differentsections of the storage unit may be kept hot, cold, or may not beconditioned. Power for this climate conditioning can be drawn from thebattery system of the golf cart. Other possible sources include, but arenot limited to, an electrical line run to a nearby outlet, solar power,or wind power. In a preferred embodiment, this storage unit will beremovably attached to the back of the golf cart.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a shows an embodiment of a storage unit mounted on the rear end ofa golf cart, with enumerated parts. FIG. 1b shows the rear of the golfcar without the storage unit.

FIG. 2a shows an embodiment of a storage unit from the side. FIG. 2bshows an embodiment of a storage unit from the rear. FIG. 2c shows anembodiment of a storage unit from the front. FIG. 2d shows thatembodiment of a storage unit from the bottom. FIG. 2e shows anotherembodiment of the storage unit from the rear. FIG. 2f shows thatembodiment of the storage unit from the bottom. FIG. 2g shows anotherembodiment of a storage unit from the side. FIG. 2h shows thatembodiment of the storage unit from the bottom.

FIG. 3a shows an embodiment of a storage unit from the side. FIG. 3bshows that embodiment of a storage unit from the front. FIG. 3c showsthat embodiment of a storage unit from the top. FIG. 3d shows a bottomview of a removable portion of the bottom protrusion of that embodimentof a storage unit. FIG. 3e shows a front view of the removable portionof the bottom protrusion of that embodiment of a storage unit. FIG. 3fshows a top and side view of a spacer for that removable portion of thebottom protrusion. FIG. 3g shows a perspective view of the bottom, sideand rear of an embodiment of a storage unit. FIG. 3h shows a bottom viewof a removable portion of the bottom protrusion of that embodiment of astorage unit. FIG. 3i shows a top view of a removable portion of thebottom protrusion of that embodiment of a storage unit. FIG. 3j shows acutaway view of the bottom panel of the storage unit with attachmentsystem for an adjustable removable bottom protrusion. FIG. 3k shows atop and side view of that embodiment.

FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a locking mechanismto fasten the upper portion of the storage unit to the rear of the golfcart. FIG. 4b shows a different perspective view of that embodiment.FIG. 4c shows a side view of that embodiment of the locking mechanism.FIG. 4d shows a bracket portion of that embodiment of the lockingmechanism. FIG. 4e shows a sliding bracket locking mechanism. FIG. 4fshows a top view of an attachment bracket to fasten the upper portion ofthe storage unit to the rear of the golf cart, while FIG. 4g shows anexploded view of that attachment bracket.

FIG. 5a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a bracket system tohold the storage unit on the back of a golf cart. FIG. 5b shows a sideview of that embodiment. FIG. 5c shows a rear view of the golf cartwithout the storage unit. FIG. 5d shows a perspective view of thebracket portion of an embodiment. FIG. 5e shows a side view of thebracket portion of that embodiment. FIG. 5f shows a side view of thebracket portion of another embodiment. FIG. 5g shows a perspective viewof an embodiment of the invention where a lower tray and upper strapsystem are used to allow two golf club bags to be held by the bracketsystem. FIG. 5h shows a perspective view of another variant of thisembodiment where the tray and strap system are reversed, facing towardsthe front of the golf cart, and the bracket part is folded up againstthe frame.

FIG. 6a shows a side view of an embodiment of a folding storage unit.FIG. 6b shows a perspective view of a partially folded version of thatembodiment of the folding storage unit. FIG. 6c shows a side view of amore folded version of that embodiment of the folding storage unit. FIG.6d shows a side view of a fully folded version of that embodiment of thefolding storage unit.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION—DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention and its various embodiments are described below,with reference to figures as necessary. Reference numbers are used tomatch particular elements described in the text with those shown infigures. Although the embodiments disclosed will be described withreference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, it should beunderstood that the embodiments disclosed can be embodied in manyalternate forms of embodiments, and that aspects of differentembodiments can be combined freely. In addition, any suitable size,shape or type of elements or materials could be used.

Generally speaking, the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1bprovides additional storage space for a vehicle 100 such as, but notlimited to, a golf cart. While the majority of embodiment descriptionsrelate to a golf cart, they can clearly be applied to storage units onthe rears of a variety of other types of vehicles, land or sea. Theinvention describes a storage unit 101 or container suitable formounting on the back of a golf cart. In a preferred embodiment, thisstorage unit 101 would occupy the entire back side of the golf cart 100,and would allow the driver to see over the top of it to the rear, orthrough the top if part or all of the storage unit 101 were made oftransparent materials. The storage unit is essentially cuboid in shape,having six approximately rectangular faces or panels. Note that forstreamlining or appearance purposes, the faces or panels may be curved,such that two or more faces are only very approximately rectangular, andmore closely approximate triangles or arcuate sections. The definitionof “cuboid” used herein is intended to include such deviations of facesor panels from rectangularity. The storage unit is designed to be easilyremovable from the golf cart. In one embodiment, the golf cart 100 has aprotruding rear shelf with a well 102 which would provide support forthe storage unit 101, and a frame system 103 which provides an upperattachment point for the storage unit 101. This well potentially allowsfor use of various systems to lock the bottom of the storage unit 101 onto the rear of the golf cart and attach the rear of the storage unit tothe frame 103, both which will be discussed in more detail later. Well102 may have a center rib 109 which divides the well 102 so that it canhold two golf bags. This center rib may take a variety of forms indifferent models of golf carts, and will be discussed later inconjunction with various storage unit bottom protrusion systems.

The first embodiment of the storage unit shown has a top door 104, whichopens upward, and two front doors 105 and 106. It also has a handle 107and another on the far side (not shown) to lift the storage unit fromthe back of the golf cart, and a wheel 108 paired with another wheel onthe far side (not shown) to roll the storage unit around when it isseparated from the golf cart. These wheels may be removably attached orfolded up out of the way when the storage unit is being used on the backof a vehicle. As shown, they are designed to extend below the bottomhorizontal plane of the bottom panel of the storage unit when deployedso that the storage unit can be rolled.

The storage unit is designed to be of lightweight construction and thuseasily removable. In a preferred embodiment, the construction is largelyof plastic such as, but not limited to, polycarbonate, polystyrene, PVC(poly vinyl chloride), HDPE (high density polyethylene), and PE(polyethylene). In another embodiment, the construction is largely offiberglass. In either case, this makes it weather resistant, inexpensiveand light weight, with metal fittings as needed for hinges, door locks,and so on. In other embodiments, the storage unit may be constructed oflight weight rigid or semi-rigid frame materials with panels connectingthem. In a preferred embodiment these rigid or semi-rigid frame membersmay be made of lightweight material such as, but not limited to, carboncomposite rods, or hollow metal tubes of square or round cross section,with rigid or semi-rigid, such as plastic suitcase type material, usedfor panels between the frame pieces. The panels could instead beflexible sections made of materials such as, but not limited to, clothsuch as canvas, ballistic nylon or flexible plastic, which can beinserted or removed from this or a similar framework. In one particularembodiment, the panels could be made out of flexible material such as,but not limited to, canvas surrounding the framework. In any casewherein flexible material such as fabric is a primary panel constructionsystem, zippers could be used to open any doors and partitions couldsimilarly be partially or completely removed by means of zippers.

The storage unit must be fastened to the golf cart. As shown in FIG. 2a, in the first embodiment of this invention, storage unit 200 has twoattachment points, upper attachment point 201 in the upper rear tofasten to the frame of the golf cart, and adjustable downward protrusion202 underneath to act as a lower attachment point, which fits into thewell 102 of the golf cart rear shelf. The downward protrusion 202 could,in a preferred embodiment, be adjusted so that it makes contact withsome combination of the upper surface of the bottom of the well 102 andone or more interior side surfaces of the well. Protrusion 202 could, innon-limiting examples, contact the bottom of the well and the rear sidewall, or the front side wall and rear side wall, or the left side walland right side wall. Note that while only one upper fitting 201 isshown, more than one could be used for reasons of stability and strengthof attachment. For reasons of stability of the storage unit on the backof a moving vehicle and mounting strength, it is desirable to have upperattachment point at least 30% of the height of the storage unit up therear of the storage unit from the bottom of the storage unit. In apreferred embodiment the upper attachment point is at least 45% of theheight of the storage unit up the rear of the storage unit from thebottom of the storage unit.

Also shown is indent 203 on the back of the storage unit, which allowsit to fit onto the back of a typical golf cart and to meet up withappropriate parts of the frame. By having the lower rear panel jut outas shown, in addition to allowing fitting 201 to be recessed relative tothe lower back of the storage unit, to make space for the fitting,indent 203 also allows protrusion 202 and its other variants (such asnon-adjustable protrusions, built in and detachable) to be mountedfurther towards the front of the golf cart, and thereby provide a morestable lower attachment point. This rear panel indent 203 may range from2″ to 8″ in depth, with a preferred distance of 4″ to 5″. In analternative embodiment, the entire rear of the storage unit could beflat, which may reduce manufacturing costs but does not allow quite asmuch space in the lower compartment behind lower doors 204 (105 and 106in FIG. 1a ).

A golf cart typically has a rear framework which, in addition tosupporting the roof of the golf cart, if any, provides a location tostrap golf bags to, in order to keep them on the rear shelf of the cart.A portion of this frame can be seen in FIG. 2b , as item 205. Thiscorresponds to a segment of the horizontal frame section 103 shown inFIG. 1 b. A golf cart frame typically has a horizontal cross piece like103 which extends across the width of the back of the cart, to supportthe upper parts of the golf bags when they are strapped in. This allowsa single upper attachment fitting 201 to be used, though more than onemay also be used for a more stable attachment of the storage unit. Inthis embodiment, two lower adjustable downward protrusions 206 and 207are shown, one for each side of the rear shelf well. Otherconfigurations would allow a single adjustable downward protrusion.

FIG. 2c shows a front view of the first embodiment of the storage unit.While many door combinations can be used and are intended to be coveredin this invention, in this preferred embodiment, top door 208 opens upand towards the back of the storage unit, with one or more hinges on itsrear edge. Front panel 209 does not move and has a lock, 210, which canlock the top door, preventing it from opening. Front doors 211 and 212,which correspond to doors 105 and 106 in FIG. 1 a, open outwards fromthe front of the storage unit, exposing the lower compartment of storageunit 200. They can be locked closed with lock 213. This configurationcan allow an insulated liner to be placed in the top compartment underdoor 208 and behind panel 209. This allows storage of items such asgroceries which must be kept cold or hot during transport. Keeping itemscold is particularly important since golf carts are used as a primaryvehicle which may be needed to transport groceries most commonly in warmclimates.

It is also envisioned in this invention to have a provision to subdividethe interior of the storage unit by using fixed or removable horizontalshelves and/or vertical partitions. In the preferred embodiment shown,there would be a top compartment, accessible by upward opening top door208, and a lower compartment, accessible behind front doors 211 and 212.Having the shelf between these two compartments removable would allowlarger objects, such as bags of mulch or brooms, to be carried in thestorage unit. In addition, it is envisioned to have interior andexterior fastening points and systems. Hooks are particularlyadvantageous for hanging grocery bags inside the storage unit. Thesehooks may include, but are not limited to, open hooks or “snap-ring”hooks. The straps may include, but are not limited to, fixed straps,elastic straps such as “bungee” type cords, and straps with tighteningsystems such as ratchets.

FIG. 2d shows a bottom view of the first embodiment of the storage unit.Plates 214 and 215 are mounted on legs 216 and 217, on which they may beable to both pivot and extend downwards from the bottom of the storageunit to match the depth of a golf cart well such as item 102 in FIG. 1b, thereby contacting the bottom of the golf cart well interior andthereby helping to support the storage unit and lock it in place on theback of the golf cart. In a preferred embodiment they do not pivot, butmerely extend upwards and downwards. Each plate 214 and 215 has acorresponding extendable arm 218 and 219, which can brace the bottomprotrusion of the storage unit against the side walls of the golf cartwell, locking the bottom of the unit in place. This extension andbracing can take place by using mechanical systems including, but notlimited to, screw threads, ratchets, springs, or telescoping sectionswith locks, or by any combination of these systems. Note that in thisembodiment of the adjustable protrusion invention, there are two smallextensions or tabs 220 and 221, also shown from the side in FIG. 2c .These tabs can have a variety of cross sections, including but notlimited to, round, square, or flat and plate-like. These tabs can gointo slots or holes either cut into the sides of the golf cart rearshelf bag well, or fittings with slots or holes mounted onto the twosides of the golf cart rear shelf bag well, thus locking the bottom ofthe storage unit 200 in place on the rear of the golf cart in afront-back direction as well as in other directions such as up-down andleft-right. In addition to these tabs potentially being of differentsizes and configurations, they may not be present at all, if adequatelocking of the bottom of the storage unit into the golf cart rear shelfwell takes place without them. Locking the bottom of the storage unitinto place in a side to side direction would then be accomplished byextending the arms 218 and 219 until they press against the side wallsof the bag well. Finally, access panel 222 in the bottom of the storageunit can be opened from inside the storage unit to reach through andaccess the adjustable protrusions, in particular sliding arms 220 and221. This allows the unit to be placed on the rear shelf bag well, andafter it is placed the sliding arms can be adjusted under the storageunit through the access panel opening to generate a secure fit of thebottom protrusion under the storage unit in the rear shelf bag well,helping hold the entire storage unit in place. Depending on themechanisms used to extend the sliding arms, and thus the number andlocation of access points needed, the access panel 222 may havedifferent sizes, locations and configurations on the bottom of thestorage unit, and may take the form of multiple access panels ratherthan merely one.

FIG. 2e shows a rear view of a second embodiment of the storage unit,with a section of the golf cart frame cross brace 223 and a verticalplate 224 for an upper attachment point, to be discussed in more detaillater. On the sides of the storage unit are shown handles 225 and 226,to help remove the storage unit from the golf cart platform. Below thebottom of the box is another embodiment of an adjustable bottomprotrusion. In this embodiment, in addition to the two side leg/platecombinations 227 and 228 with extendable side arms 229 and 230 seen inthe previous embodiment, we also see a center extendable arm 231, and akick stand 232, with a dotted line showing the arc of its swing. Thiskick stand would allow the storage unit to stand level on its frontwheels and kick stand when it is not mounted on the golf cart rearshelf.

FIG. 2f shows a bottom view of the second embodiment of an adjustablebottom protrusion. Center extendable arms 233 and 234 slide into holder235, which is attached to the bottom of the storage unit, taking carenot to attach the holder to removable panel 236 unless it is considereddesirable to remove an extendable arm for adjustment. Note that althoughthe arms 233 and 234 are described as sliding into holder 235, theextension and bracing of these arms 233 and 234 against the inner frontand back walls of the rear golf cart shelf well can take place by usingmechanical systems including, but not limited to, screw threads,ratchets, springs, or telescoping sections with locks, or by anycombination of these systems. It should be possible, as with the firstembodiment, to remove the panel 236 and adjust the side to side bracingor locking arms like 217 and 218 in the previous embodiment andfront-back bracing or locking arms 233 and 234. In a preferredembodiment, only one arm, either 233 or 234, is used to brace againstone interior wall of the well, with an access panel 236 positioned toaccess the one adjustment location where that arm can be extended orretracted. Kick stand 232 is shown again, with its pivot point 238.Front handle 239 is also shown, in the embodiments of the storage unitshown so far handle 239 would be mounted on the upper section of thestorage unit 209, from FIG. 2 c.

FIG. 2g shows a side view of a third embodiment of this invention, witha different kick stand configuration 240 from the second embodiment.Note that as in the second embodiment, kick stand 240 is designed toextend down as far as needed based on the axel location and diameter ofwheel 241 such that the bottom of the storage unit is approximatelylevel. Thus, different mounting locations and sizes of wheel 241 and itsmatched wheel on the other side can dictate design and size of kickstand 240, and vice versa. Also shown are front handle 242, one sidehandle 243, a side ventilation opening 244 and 245, and upper rearattachment point 246.

FIG. 2h shows a bottom view of the third embodiment, with bottom platesand extendable arms similar to those shown in FIG. 2d . The kick stand240 shown here is U-shaped, with two pivot points 248 and 249. The pivotpoints could be moved elsewhere, clearly, depending on the configurationof the access panel, bottom plates and adjustable arms. Also note thatin other embodiments not shown in figures a second set of wheels couldbe used in addition to 214, shown, which could fold out or attach,rather than a kick stand, in order to hold the storage unit level. Thiswould have the disadvantage of greater expense and complexity, but theadvantage of being able to wheel the storage unit around without havingto tilt it onto two wheels, making it easier to move for someone withstrength or mobility impairments.

FIG. 3a shows a side view of a fourth embodiment of the invention, witha fixed bottom protrusion. Bottom protrusion 301 extends downwards fromthe bottom of storage unit 300, in particular below the bottomhorizontal plane of the bottom panel of the storage unit. While in thisembodiment the rear of the bottom protrusion 301 also extends slightlybehind the rear panel of storage unit 300, clearly the bottom protrusion301 may also be aligned with the rear of the storage unit, or offsettowards the wheels, depending on the configuration of the rear of thegolf cart, the configuration of the rear shelf well and the bottom andrear attachment mechanisms of the storage unit. In addition, while thisembodiment shows the bottom protrusion 301 covering roughly half of thebottom of the storage unit, meaning that roughly half would be on therear shelf 102 and about half would protrude behind the back of the golfcart, other ratios would also work for this invention. It is desirableto have at least some extension of the storage unit, equal to at least10% of the depth of the storage unit (front to back distance between thelower parts of the outsides of the front and rear panels of the storageunit), behind the rear of the vehicle, so that the storage unit hasenough depth to provide reasonable storage space. It is also desirableto not have too much extension of the storage unit past the rear end ofthe vehicle, no more than 80% of the depth of the storage unit, so thatit does not take up too much space parking or become a driving hazard.It is also desirable to have the bottom protrusion 301 extend downwardsfar enough to contact or nearly contact the interior bottom of the rearwell of the golf cart, in the case that a well is present, therebyhelping to support the storage unit 300 and lock it onto the rear of thegolf cart, since it would not be possible to remove the storage unitwithout raising it up so that the bottom protrusion can clear the rearwall of the well. The downward protrusion 301 could, in a preferredembodiment, be sized so that it makes contact with some combination ofthe upper surface of the bottom of the well 102 and one or more interiorside surfaces of the well. Protrusion 301 could, in non-limitingexamples, contact the bottom of the well and the rear side wall, or thefront side wall and rear side wall, or the left side wall and right sidewall.

FIG. 3b shows a front view of the fourth embodiment of the invention,where the bottom protrusion is not adjustable to fit different rearshelf wells on different golf cart models but is interchangeable. Afeature of this non-adjustable embodiment of the bottom protrusion isthat it can be designed to be removable and interchangeable with bottomprotrusions designed to fit other rear shelf wells on other models ofgolf carts. In this way, the storage unit can be universal, with just arelatively inexpensive and compact bottom protrusion part changed toallow for use of the storage unit on different golf cart models. Bottomprotrusion 301 can be seen extending downwards from the bottom panel ofthe storage unit 300. In the center of bottom protrusion 301 can be seendownwards facing channel 303, which in this embodiment extends from thefront to the back of the bottom protrusion. This channel is designed tofit over ridge 109 from FIG. 1 b, a front to back separator found inmany models of golf cart on the rear shelf well to separate the two golfclub bags. The channel 303 may be designed to be a tight fit, to helphold the bottom of the storage unit in place, or may be oversized andloose if it is desired to allow for a wider variety of models to be fitwith one bottom protrusion. In a preferred embodiment of this channel,it is designed to be large enough to accommodate a center ridge like 109in all golf cart models. The interior walls of this channel, or channelhaving interior wall locations modified with an insertable bushing, mayfit snugly against the sides of the center ridge, helping hold thestorage unit in place as a lower attachment point.

For further clarity, FIG. 3c shows a top view of the storage unit withportions 304 and 305 of the bottom protrusion extending behind the rearpanel of the storage unit. Also shown are front handle 306, side handles307 and 308, and wheels 309 and 310. FIG. 3d shows a top view of thedetached protrusion 301, with a dotted line 311 indicating a slightlybeveled section at the bottom of the protrusion, where it would rest inthe bottom interior corner of the rear shelf well of the golf cart,where the vertical side wall and bottom floor of the well intersect. Asthese rear shelves are often molded out of plastic or fiberglass, theyoften have rounded interior corners, so a matching bevel or curve in theouter corner of the protrusion lets the sides and bottom of theprotrusion fit snugly into place in the rear shelf well. Locations 304and 305 are shown where the bottom protrusion in this embodiment extendshorizontally beyond the rear panel of the storage unit, as shown in FIG.3c . These horizontally extending, curved portions 304 and 305 may beuseful for certain golf cart models which have corresponding upwardlyprotruding sections which create corresponding curves in the interiorvertical walls in their rear shelf wells in their frontward sides, thesides closest to the front of the golf cart. When properly sized andshaped, sections 304 and 305 can fit against several models of golf cartrear shelf well upward protrusions or interior well wall curves.Providing for the downward protrusion to brace against at least twointerior well walls, and possibly three or four interior well walls, aswell as possibly contacting the bottom of the well, helps to hold thestorage unit in place as a lower attachment point. Note that while thisbottom protrusion is shown with lobe portions extending beyond the rearpanel of the storage unit, in other embodiments the portions may bealigned with the rear panel of the storage unit, or recessed from theplane of the rear of the storage unit, causing the bottom panel of thestorage unit to extend over the bottom protrusion, depending on theconfiguration of the rear shelf well of a specific model of golf cart.Typical widths for lobe sections 304 and 305 are between 6″ and 10″,with a preferred width of 8″, while the flat space between lobes 304 and305 may have typical widths of 4″ to 6″, with a preferred width of 5″,and typically the bottom protrusion would be aligned with the rear ofthe storage unit. Thus each lobe occupies approximately between 30 and45% of the total width of the lower protrusion, with a preferred portionof 35-45% of the total width. A typical length in the perpendiculardirection (front to back direction relative to the golf cart) for thebottom protrusion would be 8″ to 12″, with a preferred length of 9″ to10″. Channel 303 is also shown, and is discussed in more detail below.It is also possible to use bolts, screws, pegs or other such mechanismsas known to those skilled in the art passing through either the rearbumper or the bottom of the rear well on the golf cart into the lowerprotrusion to help fasten the storage unit on to the back of the golfcart.

FIG. 3e shows a rear view of the protrusion, with the bevel 311 andchannel 303. Also shown is a removable insert or bushing 312 which canbe placed into the channel 303 to change the cross sectional profile ofthe channel. The bushing 312 may change the transverse cross sectionalprofile, thereby make the interior width of the channel narrower, orchange the longitudinal cross sectional profile, thereby making thelength of the channel shorter, to accommodate specific golf cart modelswhich have narrower or shorter ridges in their rear shelf wells. Thischannel 303 may range in width from 1.5″ to 2.5″, with a preferred widthof 2″, so the bushing may range in width over the same range, with theslot 313 in the bushing ranging from 1″ to 2″, with a preferred width of1.5″.

FIG. 3f shows a top view 314 and a front view 315 of a spacer which maybe used to adjust the height of the bottom protrusion 301 of the storageunit to accommodate different well 102 depths on the rear shelf ofdifferent models of golf carts. In a preferred embodiment this spacerwould fit between the top surface 316 of the removable bottom protrusion301 and the bottom of the storage unit 300, though in an alternativeembodiment it could fit between the bottom surface of the removablebottom protrusion and the upper surface of the golf cart rear well. Itcould have thicknesses ranging from 0.25″ to 2″, with preferredthicknesses of 0.5″ and 1″. This brings total bottom protrusionthicknesses to a range of 1.5″ to 4″, with preferred thicknesses of1.75″ to 3″. In other embodiments, approximately horizontal spacerscould be attached to the outside walls of the bottom protrusion 301 toprovide a tighter fit with interior walls of the rear golf cart shelfwell, and/or could be attached to the inside walls of the rear golf cartwell to provide the tighter fit of the bottom protrusion. In eithercase, providing a snug fit of the bottom protrusion against the interiorwalls of the rear golf cart shelf well can help provide a secure lowerattachment point for the storage unit.

Note that while only one large protrusion is shown in the diagram, it isobvious that multiple smaller protrusions in a variety of sizes andpositions could be used to provide secure footing for the storage unit.This allows the storage unit to fit on a variety of rear shelves havingdifferent wells, including no well, found on different models of golfcarts or other vehicles.

FIG. 3g shows another embodiment of the storage unit. Upper rearattachment point 317 is shown, with, but not limited to, a cone shapedreceptacle for attachment which will be discussed later. This embodimentalso shows stiffening ribs 318 on the side and 319 on the rear of thestorage unit, which allows thinner materials to be used in the wallswhile retaining enough wall strength to withstand holding loads on theback of a vehicle which may be bouncing over curbs and potholes. Whilehorizontal 318 and vertical 319 stiffening ribs are shown, othercombinations including, but not limited to, diagonal and criss-crossribs may also be used. These ribs may protrude only inside the storageunit, or only outside, or both inside and outside, depending on moldingand manufacturing constraints. If they protrude on the outside they mayalso be incorporated as decorative elements, potentially including logosor insignia. They may also be concentrated in areas where morestructural strength may be needed, such as around door latches or upperattachment point 317.

On the bottom of the storage unit 316 of FIG. 3g can be seen wheels 320and axel containing lower protrusion 321. Together these form one typeof wheel assembly which can be used with this storage unit. In onepreferred embodiment of the wheel assembly, the wheels may have a solidaxel which extends throughout protrusion 321 and no other mechanism,allowing the wheels 320 to have a bearing system so that they canrotate. In another embodiment the wheels may have separate axels, or mayrest in bearing blocks (not shown) contained in protrusion 321 to formthe wheel assembly. In a preferred embodiment the wheel assemblycomprising protrusion 321 and wheels 320 would be placed such that itand its associated wheels would lie behind the rear bumper of golf cart100, as shown in FIG. 1 a. Other configurations are also possible, suchas having four wheels, one near each corner of the storage unit, orthree wheels, two spaced apart as shown in FIG. 3g items 320 and anothersingle one which may fold or extend out of bottom protrusion 322 andallows steering when rolling the unit around. Bottom protrusion 322 hereis also shown with channel 323, similar to previously shown channel 303,to allow for a center rib in the golf cart rear well. In a preferredembodiment bottom protrusion 322 does not extend rearwards past the rearsurface of storage unit 316.

FIG. 3h shows the bottom protrusion 322 in more detail, which may bedetachable or may be a part of storage box 316. Channel 323 is shown,with a center hole 324 which is needed for upward protrusions on rearshelf wells certain golf cart models. Also shown are divots 325 and 326in the centers of each side lobe protrusion, and valleys such as 327 and328 in each side lobe protrusion. These, like the stiffening ribs 318and 319 are ways to “corrugate” the downward protrusion to make it morerigid, since the downward protrusion acts as a lower attachment pointfor the whole storage box, while still allowing the protrusion to behollow, using less material than a solid protrusion would. Clearly thestiffening valleys and center divots can have different numbers andplacements on each side, according to the details of fabrication and useof the pieces. FIG. 3i shows the top side of the bottom protrusion,where it would be fastened to the bottom panel of the storage box, withthe center channel 323, hole 324, and two of the stiffening valleys 327and 328.

FIG. 3j shows an embodiment 329 of this invention with a fixedprotrusion 330 having horizontal adjustment of its position. Two slots331 and 332 are shown in the bottom panel 333 of the storage unit. Knobson threaded rods or bolts can go through slots 331 and 332 to severaldifferent positions in the slots where there are countersunk holes,allowing nuts to fasten the protrusion into place with different amountsof extension behind the storage unit, as discussed in FIGS. 3a to 3c ,to account for different golf cart rear shelf model configurations. Inan alternative embodiment, no nuts are used, and there are merely blindholes in the underside of storage unit bottom panel 333 in a row suchthat the protrusion 330 can be fixed in place in different positions. Inanother alternative embodiment, slots and tabs can be used on the upperside of the protrusion 330 and the lower side of storage unit bottompanel 333 so that the protrusion 330 slides back and forth under thestorage unit bottom panel 333. Knobs or pins 334 and 335 can then beattached to bottom protrusion 330 and spring loaded, such that they willdrop into holes on the underside of the bottom panel 333 and fix bottomprotrusion 330 into place in different specific locations to account fordifferent models of golf cart. As with other features of this invention,the intent is to provide adjustability without needing tools. Note thatin a preferred embodiment, knobs or pins 334 and 335 are in the centerrecesses or divots on each side of the bottom protrusion 330, shown inmore detail as items 325 and 326 in FIG. 3h . FIG. 3k shows a top andsection view of the same embodiment of FIG. 3h , illustrating storageunit bottom panel 333 and knob 334 recessed in a divot.

FIGS. 4a through 4d show an expanded view of the fitting 201 from FIG.2a , upper rear fitting 400 to hold the storage unit on the back of agolf cart. Cross bracket 401 is the horizontal frame piece on the backof a golf cart to allow straps to hold two golf bags in place (205 fromFIG. 2b ). To this cross bracket 401 is fastened first vertical plate402, by drilling two holes in cross bracket 401 and using bolts 403 and404, which pass from rear plate 405 through the holes to first verticalplate 402 and are shown with the nuts holding them in place, thoughclearly these bolts can be reversed. Second vertical plate 406 isfastened to first vertical plate 402 with bolts or machine screws 407.Between the two vertical plates 402 and 406, is a recess and small plate408, shown in FIG. 4c , on the rear of a bayonet probe 409. The channelformed between vertical plates 402 and 406 allows plate 408 to slide upand down, providing vertical adjustment of the bayonet 409 location. Aslot 410 and set screw 411 can be used to lock the plate 408 and therebybayonet 409 in place vertically. Since the horizontal location where theoverall fitting 400 is mounted on horizontal frame piece 401 can also beadjusted during the mounting process, the combination of these featuresprovides full horizontal and vertical adjustment of the location of thebayonet 409 so that it can be matched to its receiver 412 for differentmodels of golf carts. This bayonet probe, mounted to the frame of thegolf cart by using the vertical plates, extends into a receiverstructure 412 mounted on rear panel 413 of the storage unit when thestorage unit is attached to the golf cart. The receiver or receptacle412 takes in the bayonet probe 409, and slider 414 slides up to lock thebayonet 409 in to the receiver 412 by using the widened head of bayonet409, and thereby lock the storage unit on to the rear of the golf cart.Slider 414 has a narrower and a wider opening section, so that thebayonet can fit through a larger hole in the slider, then when theslider 414 is slid up, the wider head of the bayonet is kept inside thestorage box by the narrower opening of the slider. Note that whilevertical sliding 414 on receiver 412 is shown, clearly several otherways of retaining the bayonet could be used, such as with a circularslide. Varying thickness of the slider can be used to provide a tighterlock, if its narrower opening also has a thicker material, when theslider is in its bayonet locking position, the storage unit is pulledmore snugly to the receiver 412 and thereby the horizontal frame piece401. This can be seen in cross section FIG. 4 c.

FIG. 4d shows a view of the attachment part fastened to the golf cartframe, with second vertical plate 406 held to first vertical plate bybolts or machine screws 407, and first vertical plate held to the rearplate (not seen) by bolts or machine screws 403 and 404.

In a preferred embodiment, receiver 412 has a cone shaped entrance 415,with the wide opening of the cone facing outward from the rear panel ofthe storage unit so that any slight misalignment of the storage unitwith the bayonet 409 mounting location on the golf cart frame isaccommodated, and the bayonet head can slide through into the interiorof the storage unit. In one embodiment, the receiver 412 is removable,and the storage unit would come with various holes in differentlocations to match frame 401 locations on different models of golfcarts. Then a plug or plugs for openings matching a particular model ofgolf cart could be removed, and a receiver 412 or receivers installed inrear storage unit panel 413 so that they would be in the right place tomate with the bayonet assembly.

Note that for security, carriage style bolts could be used with theheads protruding on the side of the rear plate 405, which may requiresquare cut holes to lock the carriage bolt head in place, and the nuts403 and 404 recessed by making cutouts in second vertical plate 406.This feature, in combination with the sliding and locking of the bayonetmeans when the storage unit, here shown as just a piece 413 of a rearpanel, is mounted, the vertical plates and attachment point 400 cannotbe removed from cross bracket 401 because the storage unit blocks easyaccess to the nuts. This provides security for the contents of thestorage unit, since the attachment point 400 cannot be removed from thecross bracket 401 when the storage unit is in place, and the storageunit cannot be removed from the attachment point when the storage unitis closed and locked, since there is no access to the interior whichwould permit moving slider 414 and releasing bayonet 409. Note that, ofcourse, it is always possible to remove the storage unit by damaging,cutting off or destroying parts of the golf cart, frame, attachmentpoint(s) and/or storage unit, but in the context of this invention it isintended to prevent removal of the storage unit short of such damage ordestruction, just as a padlock provides a lock on a door so long as thelock is not cut off or the door damaged. Security is an important,though not the only, feature of this invention, since it is intended toact as a vehicle “trunk” on a vehicle which otherwise does not have one.If it were possible to remove the entire trunk easily, for examplewithout using specific tools, it would not work as well for storingvaluable items while unattended. Conversely, it is desirable in manyembodiments of this invention, such as that shown in FIG. 4a , to beable to unlock the upper attachment point to release the bayonet andremove the storage unit from the golf cart without using tools providingone has access to the interior of the storage unit by, for example,unlocking its door.

In one embodiment of this invention for additional security, theattachment system 400 may comprise bolts whose heads are “carriage”style, not allowing for use of a wrench, coming from the golf cartframe, said bolts passing through the rear wall of the storage unit andhaving wrench or finger tightenable nuts inside the enclosed space ofthe storage unit 100, for example in the upper compartment behind panel209 or behind doors 211 and 212. If carriage bolts are used, square cutholes may be needed at the head end to lock them in place. In this way,without access to the fastened or locked storage unit, it would beimpossible to unbolt the removable storage unit and remove it from thevehicle. In alternate embodiments this end could be achieved by weldingbolts onto the golf cart frame and having nuts inside the storage unitor by using “security” style fasteners with unusual heads and/or nutsinside or outside the storage unit or both to prevent easy removal ofthe storage unit by an unauthorized person.

FIG. 4e shows another embodiment 416 of a slider mechanism to fastenbayonet 409 in to the storage unit. Bolts 417 and 418 hold sliding plate419 on reinforced section 420 of storage unit rear panel 421 (shown onlyin part). Slots 422 and 423 allow plate 419 to slide back and forth,with one position (shown) having a smaller hole in a center slot 424 tohold bayonet 409 in place, and the other position having a larger holein the center slot 424 to allow the bayonet 409 to slide out of the rearpanel 421 of the storage unit. Angled section 425 of sliding plate 419makes it easy to grasp the sliding plate 419 and slide it between thetwo positions, allowing unlocking of the upper attachment point andremoval of the storage unit without using tools providing one has accessto the interior of the storage unit.

FIG. 4f shows another embodiment of an upper attachment point bracket426. The bracket attaches to golf cart frame piece 427 (shown only inpart) by using plate 428 to fasten bracket piece 429 to the frame piece427. Then, pin 430 goes into bracket piece 429 and threaded rod 431attaches into pin 430 and goes through the rear panel 432 of the storagebox (shown only in part), using in a preferred embodiment a guide cone433. This cone 433 may have an actual cone shaped profile with the wideend facing the bracket, or may merely have a large opening to make iteasy to get threaded rod 431 through the rear of the storage unit panel432. A wing nut 434 fastens the bracket 426 to the storage unit bythreading onto the threaded rod 431 from inside the storage unit. Use ofthe wing nut 434 or an alternative such as a large, easily grippedknurled knob, when unscrewed, allows the threaded rod 431 to be pulledout through the cone 433 and remove the storage unit from the rear ofthe golf cart without using tools, providing one has access to theinterior of the storage unit. FIG. 4g shows an exploded view of thisassembly, where bolts 435 and 436 attach plate 428 to bracket piece 429by sandwiching golf cart frame piece 427 between them and using nuts inrecessed holes in bracket piece 429 on bolts 435 and 436. In a preferredembodiment of this invention bolts 435 and 436 are carriage bolts, toprovide security by preventing easy removal of the bracket and therebythe storage unit from the golf cart frame without cutting or damagingparts. A nut 437 holds pin 430 in place in its hole. In a preferredembodiment, pin 430 is slightly tapered to fit a bracket which is astandard feature in that location on a rear golf cart frame piece ofcertain golf cart models. In that way, the same pin 430, threaded rod431 and cone 433 system can be used with either the standard bracket onthe certain golf cart models, or the bracket 426 shown in FIG. 4f andFIG. 4g . Note that for different specific golf cart models, thediameter and taper of pin 430 may be slightly different when used withthe standard bracket for that model, as the hole sizes in that standardbracket vary. Bolts 438 are also shown holding alignment cone 433 ontothe rear panel 432 of the storage unit, but in an alternative embodimentthe alignment cone may be molded into the rear panel 432, along with anyreinforcing or stiffening structures needed. In another embodiment, thebolts 438 may be inserted from the bracket side of the assembly insteadof from the storage unit side.

FIG. 4g also shows slot 439 in bracket piece 429. This slot allows forvertical height adjustment to be made between the position threaded rod431 extends from pin 430 on the bracket and the position of the centerhole of cone 433 on the rear of the storage unit, to allow for slightvariations in manufactured dimensions of the golf cart bracket, golfcart rear well and storage unit. The vertical height adjustment may bemade by having multiple holes in different vertical locations in pin 430for insertion of the threaded rod 431, or by having washers to insertbetween the flat head of pin 430 and bracket piece 429 to raise or lowerpin 430 in the hole of bracket piece 429. Other methods of adjustmentmay occur to one skilled in the art. In another embodiment, which may becombined with the embodiment shown in FIG. 4c , threaded rod 431 orbayonet 409 may pass through golf cart frame pieces 427 or 401,respectively, and extend towards the storage unit far enough to allowfastening of the storage unit to the golf cart frame withoutintermediate parts such as pin 430, bracket piece 429, and/or bracketpieces 402 and 406. One or more spacers on the threaded rod 431 orbayonet 409 may be used as needed to brace the rear panel 432 of thestorage unit on the threaded rod 431 or bayonet 409 when the storageunit is tightened down.

In another embodiment of this invention, a U-shaped locking structurecould be used, which wraps around a frame piece of the golf cart, andwhich has two ends which extend far enough to protrude into the storageunit. These ends could be threaded, and have nuts which are onlyunfastenable from inside the storage unit. Alternatively, the ends ofthe U-shaped structure could be ridged, like a hose barb or zip tie,such that a fastening device could be slid along the end from inside thestorage unit and locked down on the protruding barbs or ridges, therebylocking the storage unit in place at the upper attachment point.Alternatively, there could be a plate which slides onto the two ends andwhich has either nuts, in the case of screw threaded ends, or slidinglocking devices, in the case of barbs or ridges on the ends, used tohold the plate in place and thereby lock the upper attachment point andstorage unit into place on the rear of the golf cart in such a way thatit cannot be removed without access to the interior of the storage unit.The bottom of the U shaped locking structure could have different crosssections, such as square or triangular, rather than rounded like thebottom of a U, depending on the cross section of the frame piece ontowhich the locking structure is placed, and these other cross sectionsare intended to be covered in this U shaped locking structureembodiment. An advantage of this embodiment of the invention is thatpotentially inexpensive, “off the shelf” U-shaped structures could beused to provide the desired function of an upper attachment point whichcan only be unfastened with access to the inside of the storage unit.

These upper attachments could be made by a variety of other methods,including, but not limited to, “C clamps”, which could include slideablearms such as found in a bench vise or “butterfly” nuts, pin and socketjoints, whether horizontal or vertical, quick release joints, springclamps, straps, and other systems as known to those skilled in the art,though these may not provide the security feature of the horizontalbayonet attachments disclosed in this invention. Attachment mechanismsonly on the golf cart 100 or on the storage unit 104 may be used, withthe expectation that there would be surfaces or structural memberspresent on the other object suitable for attachment or clamping. Othertypes of fastening systems would suggest themselves to one skilled inthe art, and are intended to be covered in this disclosure.

Another embodiment of this invention is shown in FIG. 5a and is intendedto be mounted on a golf cart 500 without a rear well for golf club bags.This type of golf cart is often set up for 4 people, with a rear facingseat 501 and an approximately flat platform 502 for the people in therear to rest their feet on. In this case, a framework 503 may beattached to the rear of the golf cart platform 502 so that the containeror storage unit 504 can be attached to the framework 503.

FIG. 5b shows a side view of the storage unit 504 mounted to the frameon the back of the golf cart, with a portion of seat 501 and platform502. Visible here are upper attachment point(s) 505, lower frame cutout506 to hold a lower protrusion of the storage unit 504, and receiver(s)507 mounted under platform 502 which can take the forks of framework503, discussed in more detail in a following figure. Note that as shownin this figure, in a preferred embodiment of this invention, the storageunit protrudes rearwards beyond the limit of the lower frame cutout 506.This is a useful feature of the invention, as it provides more storagevolume inside the storage unit, making it useful for a wider range ofstorage and transport, while minimizing the rearward protrusion of thelower frame cutout 506 when the storage unit is not present. While thisembodiment shows roughly half of the storage unit bottom protrudingbehind the back of the golf cart, other ratios would also work for thisinvention. It is desirable in this embodiment to have at least someportion of the storage unit, equal to at least 10% of the depth of thestorage unit (front to back distance between the lower parts of theoutsides of the front and rear panels of the storage unit), extendingbehind the rear of the lower frame cutout 506, so that the storage unithas enough depth to provide reasonable storage space. It is alsodesirable to not have too much extension of the storage unit past therear end of the vehicle, no more than 80% of the depth of the storageunit, so that it does not take up too much space parking or become adriving hazard. In a further embodiment, the extension of the storageunit is between 40% and 60% of its depth.

FIG. 5c shows a rear view of the golf cart without the storage unit 504or container holding framework 503. Seat 501 and platform 502 arevisible, with receiver tubes 509 and 510 shown under the platform 502.These would take the forks of framework 503. U-shaped golf cart framepiece 511 is a typical safety bar on the rear of a 4-seater golf cart,which extends upward at least 2 feet or 24 inches from a rear-most partof the rear shelf on that type of golf cart, and may be used to providemounting locations for one or more upper attachment points for storageunit 504, as will be discussed in a following figure.

FIG. 5d shows a perspective view of storage unit framework 503. Shownare forks 512 and 513 which would go into receivers 509 and 510. Theymay be fastened into the receivers, or they may just take the weight ofthe storage unit while upper attachment points 514 hold the storage unitin place. Note that while pairs of forks, receivers and upper attachmentpoints are shown, any number necessary for secure attachment of thestorage unit, including one of each, may be used. Cut out opening 515 inlower horizontal frame piece 506 is shown to hold a lower protrusion ofthe storage unit and fasten the bottom in place. Note that while arectangular cut out is shown, in a preferred embodiment the cut out canbe shaped to match, for example but not limited to, the lower protrusionshown in FIG. 3d . In this way the same storage unit could beinterchanged between a cart with a golf bag well 102 and a 4-passengergolf cart with a rear platform 402 and framework 403. Upward protrudingbolts 516 are also shown on left and right segments of the frame aroundcut out 515, these may optionally be used to hold the storage unit moresecurely in place. While they are shown on the left and right segmentsof the frame 506 around the cut out 515, clearly they could vary innumber, and be distributed in various configurations around theperimeter of the lower horizontal frame piece 506 around the cut out515.

FIG. 5e shows a side view of the rear mountable framework 503. Visibleare fork 512, upper attachment point 514, the side frame piece of cutout 515, and bolts 516. Note also notch 517, this would fit over the lipof platform 502 and help the platform provide support and structuralrigidity for the framework 503 and thereby the storage unit 504. Alsonote that in a preferred embodiment, a hinge or hinges would be locatedat 518, adjacent to where the lower horizontal frame piece 506 frameworkmeets the vertical section 519 of the framework 503. This would allowlower horizontal frame piece 506 to fold up against the vertical section519 of the framework 503 when the storage unit is not in place, so thatthe lower horizontal frame piece 506 would not protrude rearward fromthe golf cart and create a safety hazard. In a preferred embodiment,there would be framing all the way around cut out 515, to provide hinge518 attachment points and additional rigidity to lower horizontal framepiece 506. An additional safety feature is that, as discussed earlier,cut out framework 506 does not protrude rearward as far from the back ofthe golf cart as the storage unit 504 does, since the storage unitoverhangs the framework to the rear of the vehicle. The framework 506would not be as visible as the storage unit. This embodiment, whereinthe cut out framework 506 folds up against the vertical section 519 ofthe framework 503, also allows the downwards protrusion on the bottom ofthe storage unit to occupy the full size of the bottom of the storageunit, and have little or no (0%) extension of the storage unit behindthe cut out framework 506, since the cut out framework 506 does notextend dangerously far to the rear behind the golf cart as it could ifit did not fold up.

FIG. 5f shows another embodiment of the framework 503, wherein insteadof forks sliding into receivers, the framework 503 is simply bolted tothe bottom of the platform 502 or golf cart lower undercarriage usingbolts 520. Obviously this framework could be attached by other methodsknown to those in the art, such as welding.

FIG. 5g shows an assembly 521 which allows mounting of golf bags ontothe framework 503 discussed earlier. Mounted to an upper part of theframework 503 is a crossbar 522, which has mounts for two loops 523 and524. Those loops would secure the upper parts of two golf bags. Aremovable tray 525 is placed into lower cut out framework 506, the trayhaving a lower protrusion similar to the one used for the storage unitto fit snugly in the opening of cut out framework 506. In this way, thesame framework 503 plus 506 could be used for either mounting a storageunit or carrying golf clubs. It is also possible to make the lower cutout framework 506 opening smaller, and have a smaller protrusion on thebottom of tray 525. This has the advantage of making lower cut outframework smaller, but removes the interchangeability of the lowerprotrusion on the storage unit, so a different lower protrusion wouldhave to be used, or in the case of an adjustable lower protrusion, itwould have to be adjusted. Normally the rear of a golf cart which hasthe 4-seat arrangement the framework 503 is designed for cannot carrygolf clubs in a secure way because it has no rear well or loops, so thisprovides additional functionality. This mounting of tray 525 may be bybolts, screws, clamps, or other methods known to those skilled in theart. As described for previous embodiments, the framework 503 mountsbehind rear platform 526 (also shown as 502 of FIG. 5a ) of the golfcart.

FIG. 5h shows another embodiment of this supplemental golf bag holdingsystem, where crossbar 522 holding loops 523 and 524 is mounted facingthe other way, towards the front of the golf cart. Similarly, tray 525is mounted on rear platform 526 (also shown as 502 of FIG. 5a ) of the 4seater golf cart, and thereby facing towards the rear facing seats ofthe 4 seater golf cart and front of the golf cart. In a preferredembodiment the downward protrusion from tray 525 is removed so that tray525 can sit flat on rear platform 526. This mounting of tray 525 may beby bolts, screws, clamps, or other methods known to those skilled in theart. In this way, on a 4-seater golf cart, two sets of golf clubs can becarried if no passengers are riding on the rear two seats, andsimultaneously the storage unit can be mounted on the rear framework503. In this figure, the cut out rear framework 506 is shown folded upagainst framework piece 503, as discussed in FIG. 5e . A latch 527 isshown to hold the folded frame 506 up in place against 503. It wouldalso be possible to have tray 525 fold up from this side against 503using hinges, if it were desired to leave the tray 525 mounted on thegolf cart but get it out of the way of passengers' feet, and remove orflatten loops 523 and 524.

FIG. 6a shows an embodiment of a folding storage unit 600. In thisembodiment, the panels are made of a rigid, solid material without aspecific framework. In this embodiment, folding lid 601 may be opened toallow interior shelf 602 separating the top and bottom compartments ofthe storage unit 600 to be folded down, as shown by the arrow, to meetrear panel 603. Note that while this embodiment shows the shelf 602folding down along a rear panel 603, it could also be folded up, down orup along a side wall 604, down or up along a front wall 605, or removedentirely. If additional shelves or interior horizontal or verticalpanels are used, they would similarly be folded out of the way orremoved.

When the interior shelf or shelves are out of the way, the sides can befolded “accordion style” as shown in FIG. 6b , wherein a center hinge606 along the side wall folds in, while two hinges 607 and 608 on theback and front corners of the storage unit 600 allow the side panels tofold inwards. A corresponding set of three hinges on the other side ofthe storage unit would allow that side panel to fold in. Note that thisbrings the front doors back along the bottom panel 609 of the storageunit.

FIG. 6c shows how, when in this embodiment the side wall folds in alonghinges 607 and 608, part of the bottom panel 609 can be folded upagainst the storage unit 600. In a preferred embodiment the fold takesplace where the bottom protrusion 610 sticks down, though in alternativeembodiments the fold may be in different locations, including if thebottom protrusion is made up of multiple parts or pillars, includingsome of the bottom protrusion, depending on how flat the side wallsfold.

FIG. 6d shows the completely folded storage unit 600 in this embodiment.Sliding hinge 611 has allowed lid 601 to slide forward enough to folddown over the rest of the box, while the part of bottom panel 609 hasfolded up against the rest of the box, providing a much more compactfinal storage unit. In another embodiment, rather than a sliding hinge611, a segmented top lid 601 (not shown) could be used where only arearward portion of the top lid would fold down, and the part of the toplid closer to the front of the golf car, the amount needed toaccommodate the back indent 612 and folded side panels, would be fixed.In this embodiment of the folding storage unit it is envisioned that thetotal depth (front to back distance between the lower parts of theoutsides of the front and rear panels of the storage unit) of thestorage unit is reduced by at least 20%, to 80% of the depth itpreviously occupied, preferably reduced to 50% to 20% of the depth itpreviously occupied. This reduction depends on factors such as, but notlimited to, curvature of panels, number of hinges, location of hinges,design of hinges, and type of bottom protrusion. Note also that thefolded storage unit could be hung on a wall or otherwise stored out ofthe way in a garage or storage area. In this way, the golf cart couldstill be used to hold golf clubs for playing golf, while allowing forattachment of a storage unit as needed for other functions such asgrocery shopping. Note that in other embodiments, if bottom protrusion610 is segmented (not shown), for example having only posts at eachcorner for bracing into a bag well or rear cart framework, it could foldmore compactly against the body of the storage unit, and/or allow bottompanel 609 to fold more compactly against the rest of the storage unit.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the embodiments. It should also be understood that theembodiments disclosed herein may be used individually or in any suitablecombination thereof. Various alternatives and modifications can bedevised by those skilled in the art without departing from theembodiments. Accordingly, the present embodiments are intended toembrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances.

What is claimed is:
 1. A storage system mounted on the rear of a golfcart, the golf cart having a rear shelf with a well, comprising: aremovable storage unit occupying substantially the entire rear width ofsaid golf cart, the storage unit being removably attachable to the rearof the golf cart, the storage unit having a bottom panel in a horizontalplane, the storage unit having a protrusion extending downwards from aportion of the bottom panel horizontal plane of the storage unit intothe well, the protrusion not extending downwards substantially furtherthan the depth of the well when the storage unit is attached to the rearof the golf cart, the protrusion making contact with at least one of theupper surface of the well bottom and any of the four interior side wallsof the well, the protrusion thereby acting as a lower attachment pointto hold the storage unit on the back of the golf cart, the storage unitbeing removably attached to the rear frame of the golf cart at an upperattachment point on the upper rear panel of the storage unit, the upperattachment point being at least 30% of the distance of the rear heightof the storage unit up from the bottom of the storage unit, the storageunit comprised of one or more rigid panels enclosing an approximatelycuboid volume, the volume being accessible by at least one door, thestorage unit having a substantial portion resting on the rear shelf ofthe golf cart and a portion extending rearwards past the end of the golfcart when the storage unit is fastened to the golf cart.
 2. The storagesystem of claim 1, wherein the storage unit has two wheels extendingbelow the storage unit bottom panel horizontal plane.
 3. The storagesystem of claim 2, wherein the wheels are mounted behind the protrusionsuch that they extend below the bottom panel horizontal plane behind therear of the golf cart.
 4. The storage system of claim 2, furthercomprising a kick stand on the bottom panel of the storage unit whichcan be swiveled down to hold the bottom interior of the storage unitapproximately horizontal.
 5. The storage system of claim 1, wherein thebottom protrusion is adjustable, having an extendable portion whichextends at least downward into the golf cart rear well.
 6. The storagesystem of claim 5, wherein the extendable portion of the downwardprotrusion further comprises a tab on the outermost end of theextendable portion which goes into a correspondingly shaped hole on awall of the golf cart rear shelf well, thereby locking the downwardprotrusion in place in the well.
 7. The storage system of claim 5,wherein the bottom panel of the storage unit has an access panel whichopens to allow access to the extendable portion so that the extendableportion can be adjusted in its extension while the storage unit isattached to the back of the golf cart and the downward protrusion is inthe well.
 8. The storage system of claim 5, wherein there are twoextendable portions of the downward protrusion extending in twodifferent directions.
 9. The storage system of claim 1, wherein thedownward protrusion has two curved lobes extending in the horizontalplane towards the direction of the rear of the storage unit, the curvedlobes being curved to match corresponding horizontal curves of interiorvertical walls of the well.
 10. The storage system of claim 1, whereinthe downward protrusion has at least one of valleys and divots in itsouter surface to provide additional rigidity.
 11. The storage system ofclaim 1, wherein the downward protrusion has a center channel to fitover a corresponding center ridge along approximately the centerline ofthe well.
 12. The storage system of claim 11, wherein the center channelhas a removable bushing to adjust its fit to be snug on differentlysized ridges.
 13. The storage system of claim 1, wherein the downwardprotrusion is removable.
 14. The storage system of claim 13, wherein thedownward protrusion can be adjusted horizontally using a slider systemto move along a bottom panel horizontal plane.
 15. The storage system ofclaim 13, wherein the downward protrusion has a spacer which is insertedbetween at least one of the protrusion and the bottom panel of thestorage unit, the spacer and the upper surface of the well bottom, andthe protrusion and an interior side wall of the well, thereby causingcontact between the combination of the downward protrusion and spacerand an interior surface of the well.
 16. The storage system of claim 13,wherein the downward protrusion has a bevel or curved profile on itsouter lower edge to match a bevel or curve of the interior intersectionof a vertical interior side wall and upper surface of the well bottom.17. The storage system of claim 1, further comprising a lockingattachment bracket for the upper attachment point of the storage unit,the locking attachment bracket comprising a probe extending from theframe piece of the golf cart, a receiver for the probe attached to therear panel of the storage unit, and a locking mechanism inside thestorage unit such that when the upper attachment point attaches thestorage unit to the golf cart and the lower protrusion is acting as alower attachment point it is not possible to removably detach thestorage unit from the golf cart without access to the interior of thestorage unit to release the locking mechanism.
 18. The storage system ofclaim 17, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a sliding latch whichreleasably engages a widened head of the probe to lock the storage uniton to the rear of the golf cart.
 19. The storage system of claim 17,wherein a vertically insertable pin is placed into a bracket attached tothe rear frame of the golf cart and the probe is horizontally attachedto the pin to thereby extend into the rear of the storage unit.
 20. Thestorage system of claim 17, wherein the probe comprises an approximatelyU-shaped structure of a size which fits around the rear frame of thegolf cart and reaches into the interior of the storage unit through therear panel when the storage unit is mounted on the back of the golfcart, further comprising a fastening mechanism which locks on to an endof the U-shaped structure inside the storage unit, thereby preventingremoval of the storage unit from the back of the golf cart withoutaccess to the inside of the storage unit to unlock the fasteningmechanism.
 21. The storage system of claim 1, further comprising thestorage unit being foldable such that it can be flattened to take up nomore than 50% of the front to back distance between the lower parts ofthe outsides of the front and rear panels of the storage unit which thestorage unit occupied before the folding process.
 22. The storage systemof claim 21 having at least 3 hinges on each side panel, such that thecenters of the side panels can fold inward and flatten the storage unitto take up no more than 50% of the front to back distance between thelower parts of the outsides of the front and rear panels of the storageunit which the storage unit occupied before the folding process.
 23. Thestorage system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the storage unit isthermally insulated, the thermally insulated portion being removablefrom the interior of the storage unit, the portion fitting under a topopening door of the storage unit when inserted into the storage unit andoccupying substantially an entire top section of the storage unit.
 24. Aframe for mounting a storage unit on the rear of a golf cart, the golfcart having an approximately flat rear shelf, comprising: A golf cartframe piece extending upwardly at least 2 feet from the part of the rearshelf which is generally furthest to the rear on the golf cart, astorage unit framework which is attached behind the rear shelf of thegolf cart vehicle, the storage unit framework attached to a removablestorage unit by at least one upper attachment point and one lowerattachment point, the upper attachment point being at least 30% of thedistance of the rear height of the storage unit up from the bottom ofthe storage unit, the storage unit having the width of substantially theentire rear width of the golf cart rear shelf, the storage unit beingremovably attachable to the storage unit framework, the storage unitframework having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, thehorizontal portion having a cut out opening, the storage unit comprisedof one or more rigid panels enclosing an approximately cuboid volume,the storage unit having a bottom panel which faces downwards, a frontpanel which faces in the direction of the rear of the golf cart, twoside panels, and a rear panel which faces in the direction of the frontof the golf cart, the storage unit having a protrusion extendingdownwards from a portion of the bottom panel of the storage unit intothe cut out opening of the horizontal portion of the storage unitframework when the storage unit is attached to the storage unitframework, the interior of the storage unit being accessible by at leastone door on the front side of the storage unit, and the storage unithaving a substantial portion resting on the horizontal portion of thestorage unit framework and a portion extending rearwards past the end ofthe storage unit framework when the storage unit is fastened to thestorage unit framework.
 25. The frame of claim 24, wherein the storageunit has two wheels extending below the storage unit bottom panelhorizontal plane.
 26. The frame of claim 25, wherein the wheels aremounted behind the protrusion such that they extend below the bottompanel horizontal plane behind the rear of the golf cart.
 27. The frameof claim 25, further comprising a kick stand on the bottom panel of thestorage unit which can be swiveled down to hold the bottom interior ofthe storage unit approximately horizontal.
 28. The frame of claim 24,wherein the bottom protrusion is adjustable, having an extendableportion which extends at least downward into the golf cart rear well.29. The frame of claim 28, wherein the extendable portion of thedownward protrusion further comprises a tab on the outermost end of theextendable portion which goes into a correspondingly shaped hole on awall of the golf cart rear shelf well, thereby locking the downwardprotrusion in place in the well.
 30. The frame of claim 28, wherein thebottom panel of the storage unit has an access panel which opens toallow access to the extendable portion so that the extendable portioncan be adjusted in its extension while the storage unit is attached tothe back of the golf cart and the downward protrusion is in the well.31. The frame of claim 28, wherein there are two extendable portions ofthe downward protrusion extending in two different directions.
 32. Theframe of claim 24, wherein the downward protrusion has two curved lobesextending in the horizontal plane towards the direction of the rear ofthe storage unit, the curved lobes being curved to match correspondinghorizontal curves of interior vertical walls of the well.
 33. The frameof claim 24, wherein the downward protrusion has at least one of valleysand divots in its outer surface to provide additional rigidity.
 34. Theframe of claim 24, wherein the downward protrusion has a center channelto fit over a corresponding center ridge along approximately thecenterline of the well.
 35. The frame of claim 34, wherein the centerchannel has a removable bushing to adjust its fit to be snug ondifferently sized ridges.
 36. The frame of claim 24, wherein thedownward protrusion is removable.
 37. The frame of claim 36, wherein thedownward protrusion can be adjusted horizontally using a slider systemto move along a bottom panel horizontal plane.
 38. The frame of claim36, wherein the downward protrusion has a spacer which is insertedbetween at least one of the protrusion and the bottom panel of thestorage unit, the spacer and the upper surface of the well bottom, andthe protrusion and an interior side wall of the well, thereby causingcontact between the combination of the downward protrusion and spacerand an interior surface of the well.
 39. The frame of claim 36, whereinthe downward protrusion has a bevel or curved profile on its outer loweredge to match a bevel or curve of the interior intersection of avertical interior side wall and upper surface of the well bottom. 40.The frame of claim 24, further comprising a locking attachment bracketfor the upper attachment point of the storage unit, the lockingattachment bracket comprising a probe extending from the frame piece ofthe golf cart, a receiver for the probe attached to the rear panel ofthe storage unit, and a locking mechanism inside the storage unit suchthat when the upper attachment point attaches the storage unit to thegolf cart and the lower protrusion is acting as a lower attachment pointit is not possible to removably detach the storage unit from the golfcart without access to the interior of the storage unit to release thelocking mechanism.
 41. The frame of claim 40, wherein the lockingmechanism comprises a sliding latch which releasably engages a widenedhead of the probe to lock the storage unit on to the rear of the golfcart.
 42. The frame of claim 40, wherein a vertically insertable pin isplaced into a bracket attached to the rear frame of the golf cart andthe probe is horizontally attached to the pin to thereby extend into therear of the storage unit.
 43. The frame of claim 40, wherein the probecomprises an approximately U-shaped structure of a size which fitsaround the rear frame of the golf cart and reaches into the interior ofthe storage unit through the rear panel when the storage unit is mountedon the back of the golf cart, further comprising a fastening mechanismwhich locks on to an end of the U-shaped structure inside the storageunit, thereby preventing removal of the storage unit from the back ofthe golf cart without access to the inside of the storage unit to unlockthe fastening mechanism.
 44. The frame of claim 24, further comprisingthe storage unit being foldable such that it can be flattened to take upno more than 50% of the front to back distance between the lower partsof the outsides of the front and rear panels of the storage unit whichthe storage unit occupied before the folding process.
 45. The frame ofclaim 44 having at least 3 hinges on each side panel, such that thecenters of the side panels can fold inward and flatten the storage unitto take up no more than 50% of the front to back distance between thelower parts of the outsides of the front and rear panels of the storageunit which the storage unit occupied before the folding process.
 46. Theframe of claim 24, wherein a portion of the storage unit is thermallyinsulated, the thermally insulated portion being removable from theinterior of the storage unit, the thermally insulated portion fittingunder a top opening door of the storage unit when inserted into thestorage unit and occupying substantially an entire top section of thestorage unit.
 47. The frame of claim 24, wherein the horizontal portionof the storage unit framework having the cut out opening has a hingeadjacent to the vertical portion of the storage unit framework, therebyallowing the horizontal portion to fold vertically against the storageunit framework.
 48. The frame of claim 24, wherein the storage unitframework is removable and replaceable on the rear of the golf cart. 49.The frame of claim 24, wherein the storage unit framework has a notchwhich fits against the rear of the rear shelf of the golf cart.